The Berserker’s Second Playthrough in the Game - Chapter 168



Only Krnovel

Episode 168 Guardians of the World Tree (3)

Kadim decided not to accompany Ilenia any longer.

To put it nicely, that’s what happened, but to tell the truth, I kicked him out.

Ilenia agreed, trying hard to hide her bitterness. She left behind a few unidentifiable green leaves, saying she would need them later, and then she left the group and disappeared somewhere.

“… … .”

“… … .”

Duncan couldn’t bring himself to ask about the situation. Because Kadim had an expression similar to that of a vicious beast, similar to when we first met him.

Considering that she had been his guide all this time, he desperately suppressed the urge to kill the woman. Now that Illenia was gone, it was up to him to handle the killing intent. Duncan followed after Kadim nervously, feeling as if he was walking on a floor full of needles.

– BEEEEEEEEEEEEK – !

– Caaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah –

Maybe that’s why, when a group of monsters targeting them appeared, they felt happy. If they could kill them all and relieve their killing intent, Kadim’s condition might improve.

But as soon as I looked at the fallen bird, that feeling disappeared.

“uh? Well, this isn’t a bird, it’s a person… … .”

“… … .”

It wasn’t just any human. With its clear skin, glossy hair, and even though its facial features had been slashed by an axe blade, looking at its long, pointed ears… … it was definitely that ‘race’.

Elves, a legendary race that has disappeared since the age of myth.

Duncan had no idea that the elf he saw for the first time in his life was a newly dead elf. Not knowing what kind of repercussions this would have, his mind felt as if it was going to explode. On the other hand, Kadim just aimed the ax again without any hesitation.

Say hello… … Tsk – Tsk!

– Peek!

Say hello, say hello… … Tsk – Tsk!

– Caw!

The birds fell one after another at the axe swings faster than a shot. With each hit, feathers were peeled off, revealing the bodies of elves. The birds counterattacked with arrows or increased their altitude, but it was no use. The arrows were blocked by the grabbing hands, and the throwing axes reached even higher than the mountain ridge.

Duncan cried out in exasperation.

“My lord! As you can see, they are not just birds, but elves that have transformed into birds! Is it okay to keep killing them like this?”

“… … It won’t be okay.”

“yes? Well, then why… … .”

“If I hadn’t thrown the ax first, we wouldn’t have been okay. Didn’t you see them aiming their bows as they fell? “I guess you didn’t want to use your head as an arrow holder, Duncan.”

“… … .”

Kadim then dismissed the concerns with one word.

“Those birds are harmful birds.”

I didn’t care that they were a legendary race that I hadn’t seen in the first time, that they could transform into birds and fly, or that they were quite numerous. If they showed their claws and threatened me, I would simply kill them.

After a while, most of the birds were hit by the axe and fell. Only one survived, the largest bird with blue feathers and a turquoise aura.

– Ppeeeeeeeeek!

The guy started to climb higher and higher beyond the clouds and then started to run away hurriedly to the north. Judging by his size and appearance, he seemed to be the leader… … If we let him go like this, he would definitely bother calling for reinforcements.

Kadim clicked his tongue and looked back at Duncan.

“Identify and kill all those on the ground, Duncan. “I’ll catch that guy and bring him back.”

“yes? Well, will you get better? How do you chase a bird off the ground? … .”

Kwa-Ang!

Then, before he could reply, he kicked the ground hard.

As Duncan had not yet asked, it was a pursuit that was impossible in common sense. How on earth could one catch up with a bird flying in the open sky while wading through dense forests that were not even flat? Moreover, the bird’s flight speed was so fast that it was outpacing even the fastest birds of prey.

However, the pursuer went against common sense and narrowed the distance to the target every moment.

Kadim also knew that he couldn’t catch up with them if he chased them normally. As soon as he started chasing them, he drank the demon’s blood and activated ‘Hydra’s Tattoo’.

Kwa – ang! Kwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa – !!

With that as a signal, a rampage began that leveled the forest.

Intoxicated by the blood that surged up, he destroyed all the plants that blocked his path. Using his firmly condensed leg muscles as springs, he jumped as dizzyingly as a flying animal.

There was no need to worry about missing the blue-green energy as it left a trace like a contrail. Regardless of whether the tree broke or not, and whether the ground collapsed or not, I focused solely on chasing the target along the trajectory of the sky. It became a huge land-fired tank and quickly created a new road in the forest.

The bird also noticed its pursuer belatedly. It was startled by the thick dust rising from its feet and began to flap its wings faster. However, it had already flown far away, so its energy gradually faded. The wing feathers fell off its forearm and its altitude gradually decreased.

Kadim did not miss the opportunity and jumped up explosively, igniting the lightning strike.

Kwa – ang! Pajijijijijijik – !

A flash of destruction is fired like a ballista, propelled by lightning.

Flash – !

– Phew!

――――――――― Kwagwagwagwagwagwang – !

The lightning soared high in the opposite direction and hit the target exactly. The bird stiffened in a straight line, took off its tanned feathers, and fell.

Ku – Ugh!!

Kadim managed to catch up with his flying target by running across the ground.

“Whoo, whoo, whoo…” … .”

I caught my breath and approached the elf. I thought that it couldn’t be helped even if it was dead, but surprisingly, it was still breathing. It was the strongest bird I’ve ever seen. I grabbed the charred ankle and slowly started walking back the way I came.

The blue swan that had covered the sky with its pale wings became a burnt elf and was dragged away by the barbarians.

*

The elf managed to recover from his injuries and come to his senses. But interrogating him faced great difficulties from the beginning.

“… … “Where do you guys come from?”

“Keuuuuu… … Rumi-Bod Scand-I don’t know… … Bet-heh-Ilya Karahemeksha?”

“Why did you attack us as soon as you saw us?”

“Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu… … Ben s-dera ahhhhhhh… … .”

“… … .”

… … I couldn’t understand what he was saying.

In fact, it wasn’t strange. Humans and elves had completely lost contact since the Age of Myths, so it was even stranger that they could communicate.

However, I couldn’t help but feel this regret. If the archaeologist had remained… … I would have understood what he meant, even if only vaguely.

Duncan realized the fact more clearly. Now that he looked at it, the woman’s sleep talk was very similar to what the elf was saying. But he didn’t say the thought out loud and make a fuss. It seemed like Kadim wouldn’t just let it go if he just said the word ‘archaeologist’.

Even after a long time, no clear solution emerged. Finally, when the barbarian decided to teach the elf body language through physical communication… …

Duncan found a clue to solve the situation.

“Oh, my, lord… … ! By any chance, that, no, who, this leaf was left behind… … Isn’t it something you gave me to use in times like this?”

“… … .”

The savage’s gaze was sharp and piercing, and Duncan felt the need to take responsibility for his words. After contemplating what to do, he closed his eyes tightly and stuffed a blue leaf into his mouth.

Then the elf began to understand what he was saying.

“uh… … Hey, eh, elf? “Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“… … !! T-Shanedoㅀ Le-Pellohjin Martha-Dena?? Huh… … Ewi-ㅌLand ㅁNesa-Begsi… … .”

“Oh, so, you understood that?”

Even though this side still didn’t understand… … it seemed like the other side understood anyway.

Fortunately, the problem of one-sided communication was solved when the leaves were crushed and applied to the ears. From the outside, it seemed like they were just speaking in their own languages, but Duncan and the elf understood each other’s words and conversed fluently. After a series of interrogations, Duncan told them what he had found out.

“Your Majesty, this guy comes from the elven city of Hesiliad… … I don’t know what he means, but he’s a wild druid belonging to the ‘Guardians of the World Tree.’ He formed an investigation team to find the culprit who broke the ‘branches of the World Tree,’ and they found us and attacked us… … Would you like to interrogate the rest yourself?”

“… … No, that’s fine. Just one person who can communicate is enough.”

Kadim bit the leaves Duncan had offered him. He had to save them as much as possible, since he didn’t know how long they would last. That woman, she was still helpful to him, after all. A bitter aftertaste spread across his firm lips.

Anyway, the interrogation proceeded smoothly under Duncan’s interpretation.

To be precise, it went on smoothly under Duncan’s interpretation and Kadim’s torture. Every time the elf stuttered, he grabbed Kadim’s long ears so hard that he felt like he was going to rip them off. That act was roughly as effective as intimidation as capturing a person’s romantic desires.

Other things are important too. Of course, the most important question was this.

“Well, the elf… … ? So let’s just ask this one last question. Do you know anything about the Archmage, ‘Melissa’?”

“… … !!”

The elf blinked, then looked at me with a puzzled look. Then, in excitement, he muttered something incomprehensible for a long time.

Duncan interprets and conveys words immediately.

“Uh… … Melissa is the name of the ‘World Tree Keeper’, right? The ‘World Tree Keeper’ is… … the World Tree’s representative who most closely carries out the will of the Mother World Tree. How do you know her name? She keeps swearing at you, saying that if you harm her, she won’t let you off easy… … .”

“… … .”

Kadim’s eyebrows formed a slanted line.

I thought this was some kind of nonsense. Melissa, an atheist, is the agent of the World Tree? No, according to what the woman said earlier, wasn’t it that Melissa had broken the branches of the World Tree and was using her power as she pleased?

Even after further questioning, the guy didn’t know anything more. Without hesitation, Khadim sent the useless elf back to his subordinates.

Ugh – Ugh!

“Ugh!”

“Huh!”

Duncan was horrified and took a step back. He glanced down at the elf who was spewing out red fluid from his half-cut face and asked in a pale tone.

“Your Majesty, it seems that the tree you felled earlier was very important, and the elves hold a grudge against it… … What should we do now?”

“… … We should go to the city of the elves. From what he said, it looks like Melissa is there too.”

“Yes, yes? But, then, wouldn’t all the elves there try to kill us?

“No need to worry. They said they were the investigation team for that incident, but didn’t they clean up every single one of them? “All he has to do is finish his work and leave before sending an additional investigation team to find out the truth.”

“… … .”

Duncan was trembling, but he eventually came to terms with it. Even though the hand was so cruel, it was true that Kadim had completely eliminated the trouble.

But those words were merely a way to keep the party from cowering in fear. If there was one important fact that Khadim had guessed but did not mention,

Even if they don’t cause any particular trouble, elves are disgusted by intruders.

That fact was quickly proven by meeting other elves.

Wedge – Liquid! Wedge – Liquid! Wedge – Awesome!

Just like the previous investigation team, they started attacking without warning. Arrows rained down like a shower. Kadim threw Duncan behind a rock and hid behind him.

“Ugh! Ugh, uhhh!”

Pfft, pfft, pfft – !

No, it was too powerful to be called just rain. Where in the world is there a raindrop that can pierce through old trees and crash into rocks? Kadim narrowed his eyes sharply and snatched an arrow flying by, waiting for his chance.

Chin, chin – !

Blood was splashing out, and half of the skin had come off as the palm had been chafed. Pushing, the blue energy flowing from the arrow shaft disappeared.

This energy must also be the ‘Hesilia’s Divine Spirit’. It seems that the arrow was strengthened by injecting it with some kind of method. It would be difficult to block this level of power with one’s bare body… … A deep furrow was engraved between Kadim’s eyebrows.

However, that only applies when the body is bare.

Kadim picked up the pitch-black axe and recited a prayer, simultaneously activating the tattoo on his forearm.

“[Atala, god of struggle and wilderness. Look upon your great warriors, lift the torch and lead them to the battlefield… … .]”

Woooooooooo –

The skin was entirely covered with the bark of gold ironwood, which was harder than steel, and the yellowish mist solidified the surface. Duncan watched in wonder as Khadim transformed.

The ‘Atala’s Divine Weapon’ also greatly increases resistance to damage. With the ‘Tattoo of the Wood-firing Demon’ covering the upper armor and adding a divine weapon, it was clear that even a simple arrowhead would not scratch it. Kadim smiled wryly and raised his crouching body.

But as soon as I popped out of the rock and took a step.

The arrow stopped like a lie.

“… … ?”

Silence flowing from nowhere. I focused my vision carefully and scanned the enemies.

The elves hiding in the bushes all had shocked expressions on their faces. She struggled like a dog needing to urinate and eventually let go of the bow and arrows one by one. Cheeddo, who had been holding on without letting go, eventually gave in when the elf, who appeared to be the leader, waved his arms and shouted.

“Nu-a ik-dos ewi-land! Nu-ah ewi-tland! Buke-ren do me-cra drui-d! Me-kra drui-d! Al-Mehnshon Dra-Hbul Noe… … .”

“Me, me-kra drui-d… … ?”

“Me-kra Druid-d… … . Oh, Me-kra Druid-d… … .”

Later, the elves even bowed loudly in admiration as a group.

It was clearly not a trick to make the enemy let their guard down. I couldn’t understand the situation at all. When I called Duncan and had him interpret what the chief was saying, he replied as follows.

“uh… … that… … The ‘Great Druid’ has come to reign, and he is telling us to put down our weapons and show respect. It will be better… … ?”

“… … .”

A look of great absurdity spread over his bark-covered face.